48624

I am disappointed that the 8F is in red. As a relatively regular visitor to North Derbyshire I was looking forward to seeing something fairly authenthic at Peak Rail and have a chance to explore the area properly. Unfortunately for the time being I will still be going to Keighley or Loughborough (or Foxfield in July!) for my steam fix and visits to Peak Rail will be limited to the book shop at Matlock. Hopefully one day a dirty 8F and a long freight will return to the Midland to Darley Dale....and now the restoration is nearly completed (well done!) I hope I won't have to wait too long.

One poster mentioned what do the Germans argue about as amost all the the engines are black? Well it is usually if the wagons behind the engine are from the correct batch for the loco! Fortunately as a regular visitor to Germany I can confirm that accuracy is seen as an essential part of preservation and funny repaints aren't on the agenda (unless Marklin pay!). Even the recently privatised ng lines are now turning engines out with DR numbers and lettering. Long may it continue!

 

For me the problem is not only that there is no connection with the 8F and crimson lake, nor is it the patronising attitude to the general public who will visit Peak Rail where the view has been expressed that 'they' won't know the difference between an accurate livery for 48624 and an inaccurate one. The problem for me is that Peak Rail has long been one of the cinderella lines and the arrival of the 8F was to be the moment where it started to join the big league of preserved lines. Instead we have this controversy.

Now the view has been expressed that it provides publicity. This is true, but is all publicity good publicity? Is this form of publicity a good thing for a railway that has really struggled to maintain itself? And ... is this a good way for the owners of this engine to repay the years of support they have received from Peak Rail while the engine has been worked on? I think not.

Another issue here is just how much income this engine will generate in hire fees on other lines while it is in crimson lake. I wonder if the enthusiast community will flock, not only to Peak Rail, but to other lines for galas when the engine is hired in for the guest engine role. I certainly wouldn't pay out the cost of the petrol (about £35 return from my house in north-west London to Peak Rail), entrance money etc to see a red 8F and I suspect a lot of other enthusiasts will feel the same. Hopefully this matter is just an extended April Fool joke and normality will prevail in May!

Regards

 

I think there is a case to be made for locos carrying liveries that may not be accurate for them as individuals but as a representation of how other class members looked when they carried that livery. Whilst I would like to see 1306 in lined black, there were apple green B1s so Gerald's loco gives us all a chance to see how one would have looked. I'm still confused by the thinking behind a red 8F though. Restoring a loco is a hard and expensive task, been there and got the t-shirt, so well done to those who have seen their dream realised but why the strange livery choice? Someone suggested BR blue for 34081 when she was still in bits but we soon shot that idea down and decided on BR malachite, an authentic livery for the loco. Blue would certainly have got us publicity but I doubt we'd have been invited to the Bluebell on four separate occasions with the subsequent photo charters too.

 

Different folks, different strokes. Knowing some of the "don't like it maroon brigade" as I do, I can say that they do have a life beyond railways, they just happen to be passionate about their love of steam.
Anyhow, I do like your "off for a beer" ploy, sounds a good idea. There's a local beer festival on down my way but I've got to work this evening. :smt009

 

did I?

 

After seeing ROyal scot in her lovely livery i look forward to seeing 48624 in red it makes a change from black or green.

 

Looks like a great job to me. Nice work and congratulations to the group for sticking with it. Paint it whatever colour you like, folks. It'll still sound, smell and perform like an 8F. I'm already missing ours.

All the best to Peak Rail

jtx

 

Is there someone from the group who has invested the time and effort that would like to make a post about today's events? =D> =D> =D>

Edit: spelling

 

Well who's up for 6100 and 48624 double heading??? hahahaha. Now that would be a fantastic sight

 

I'll make a brief one then.
HURRAY SHE WORKS
48624 moved under her own steam today for the first time in 44 years.
Thank you and congratulations to everyone involved.
And yes,She looks stunning in red.

 

Dunno about a comment,or a photo,but a video speaks a thousand words!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPlHJ2LtSuM

What a fantastic day

 

Nice work chaps.

 

I hope this works, thanks to my brother Dave for this one



Not sure why only part of the image came through, here is the original
http://images4.fotoalbum.virgilio.it/v/ ... 008-or.jpg

 

Now that looks brilliant!!
That rivals how good City Of Truro looked when the SVR repainted her into BR lined black!!

 

Should have a nameplate cast now - James the red (freight) engine. Well done to all involved in another magnificant job and a credit to all involved. Not exactly to my taste to tell the truth but who am I to disagree with what the bods who split their knuckles and sweated blood for best part of two decades want to do? Also if it pee's off the Wilcock "I demand it black" brigade then even better. No doubt the 'thin red line' in heritage beano will have a two page spread on betrayal of all enthusiasts blah blah blah. Come to think of it, it is now starting to appeal more and more.

Better red than dead!

 

Congrats to all involved in this long running restoration, the result looks magnificent. While the maroon isn't authentic it does suit the locomotive rather well, and makes a change from the BR liveries that we've come to expect on LMS locomotives. Well done.

Daniel

 

Fabulous! I've been a shareholder since the Buxton days and while I'd like to see it in black one day, I'm more than happy it's back in steam at 17D.

Dave

 

The words"back in steam" are the key words here for as far as I am concerned it could be in pink livery.

The fact that it is back in Steam is the main thing and very nice it looks too.

Regards
Chris

 

Very nice. Makes a very pleasant change from being yet another loco in BR livery.